Shandong Taishan fell to Yokohama Mariners 1:2 in a fierce matchup in the AFC Champions League knockout round.
Yokohama Mariners took the lead shortly after the match started. In the seventh minute, Lopez faced a Shandong Taishan defender in front of the goal, and he deftly got away from the defense to distribute the ball before receiving another pass inside the box. He dribbled horizontally to open up an angle and then fired a powerful shot into the corner of the net to open the scoring for Yokohama Mariners. Shandong Taishan fell behind 0:1 at home.
Shandong Taishan didn't get discouraged and tried to equalize the score by attacking. In the 9th minute, Taishan crossed the ball from the right side of the field and Pato swept the ball into the air inside the penalty area, but unfortunately, the ball was too square and was held by the Yokohama Mariners' goalkeeper. In the 29th minute, Shandong Taishan had a great chance to break through. Fernando crossed the ball from the right side of the field, and Li Yuanyi darted to the top of the net, but the ball was deflected out of the goal. In the 41st minute of the match, Taishan had another chance to break through. Fernando created a threat after a series of escapes, Liu Yang got the ball and fired a shot, but the ball went over the crossbar. The first half ended with Yokohama Mariners leading Shandong Taishan 1:0.
Entering the second half, Shandong Taishan continued to intensify their offense in an attempt to turn the game around. However, Yokohama Mariners' defense was very solid and they managed to limit Taishan's offense. In the 68th minute of the match, Shandong Taishan made a change in personnel. Kazayishvili, Fernando and Peng Xinli were replaced, and Bi Jinhao, Xie Wenneng and Chen Pu came on as substitutes. However, this adjustment did not immediately change the game situation. In the 69th minute, Yokohama Mariners scored again to extend the score. Mateusz took a low shot from outside the penalty area, Shandong Taishan's goalkeeper Wang Dalei was unable to make a timely save due to his obstructed vision, and the ball flew into the far corner of the net, giving Yokohama Mariners a 2:0 lead. Shandong Taishan did not give up in the final stage of the game. In the 91st minute, Chen Pu equalized a goal for Taishan. He broke the goal in the air and saved some face for his team. However, this could not change the result of the match, and Shandong Taishan finally lost to Yokohama Mariners 1:2.
Although Shandong Taishan failed to win this game, their performance still deserves to be recognized. They created a lot of chances in the match, but failed to capitalize on them. Yokohama Mariners, on the other hand, showed great strength and tactical skills, and they deserved to win this match. The second leg of the match will be played on March 13th, where the two sides will once again battle it out.
